Electrical room

Main electrical distribution room in a large building.

An electrical room is a room or space in a building dedicated to electrical equipment. The size of the electrical room is usually proportional to the size of the building. In large buildings there may be a main and subsidiary electrical rooms. Electrical equipment may be for power distribution equipment, or for communications equipment.

Electrical rooms typically house the following equipment:

• Electric switchboards
• Distribution boards
• Circuit breakers and disconnects
• Electricity meter
• Transformers
• Busbars
• Backup batteries in a Battery room
• Fire alarm control panels
• Distribution frames

In large building complexes, the primary electrical room may even house an indoor electrical substation.

Regulations

The details of layout and construction of electrical rooms will be controlled by local building code and electrical code regulations. Requirements for an electrical room relate to fire safety and electrical hazards. An electrical room is usually required to be secured from access by unauthorized persons; these rules are especially strict where equipment within the room has exposed live terminals. Regulations may require two separate means of exit from a room where the power rating of circuits exceeds some threshold, to allow for quick exit in an emergency. Rooms containing oil-filled equipment may be required to have fire-resistant construction or active fire suppression equipment in the room and may be designated as an electrical vault. Since power distribution often requires large numbers of electrical cables, special measures for fire resistance of cables and cable trays may be also specified by regulations.

In industrial buildings that handle flammable gases or liquids, or combustible powders, special electrical rooms may be prepared that have ventilation and other measures to prevent an explosion hazard that would otherwise exist with electrical equipment in hazardous areas. For large installations, it may be less costly overall to use a special room than to install a large number of devices that are resistant to the hazardous conditions. Similarly, in wet or corrosive environments, electrical equipment may be separated in a room that can be protected from the atmospheric conditions.

Building code and electrical code regulations will dictate minimal working space around equipment to allow for safe access for maintenance. Practical design of an electrical room will consider layout of the initial equipment and allow for additions over the economic life of the facility.

See also

• Utility vault
• Enclosure (electrical)